Michigan interim president Domenico Grasso sent a letter to the school’s students and faculty on Thursday, Dec. 11 regarding the investigation into former football coach Sherrone Moore, which remains ongoing.

It’s the first comments from the university since it announced Moore’s firing Wednesday, Dec. 10. It does not mention Moore’s detainment and arrest that occurred later in the day.

Moore was fired after a university investigation found ‘credible evidence’ he ‘engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.’ In the letter, Grasso said Moore’s employment was terminated immediately when the findings of the investigation were presented on Dec. 10.

‘There is absolutely no tolerance for this conduct at the University of Michigan. None,’ Grasso wrote. ‘I have been in close communication with the Board of Regents and we are united in committing to doing what is right.

‘This breach of trust by Coach Moore is painful for many in our community, first and foremost, the individuals directly involved in this situation,’ he added.

Grasso said ‘all of the facts here must be known’ and the university is continuing its investigation into Moore. He encouraged anyone with information related to the investigation should reach out to university officials.

There was no mention of any possible criminal charges or findings against Moore. The former Wolverines coach was detained by police on Dec. 10 after the Pittsfield Township Police Department responded to a residence ‘for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault’ at 4:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 10 — roughly 30 minutes Michigan announced the firing.

Moore was arrested and booked into Washtenaw County Jail on Wednesday evening, where he remains in custody as of 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 11. No information related to any possible charges have been made available.

Moore is expected to be in court for arraignment on Friday, Dec. 12.

AI-assisted summary
• Four-star recruit Matt Ludwig was released from his letter-of-intent with Michigan after the firing of head coach Sherrone Moore.
• Moore was fired after the university found ‘credible evidence’ of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member and was later arrested.
• Ludwig, a tight end from Montana, had planned to enroll early at Michigan in January.
• Ludwig’s high school coach said the recruit and his family were ‘devastated’ and ‘shocked’ by the news.

“Our principal just bought him a cap and gown and just did (the ceremony) real quick in the hallway,’’ Stanton told USA TODAY Sports. “Then about 20 minutes later (Ludwig’s) phone was blowing up.’’

A tight end, Ludwig got blindsided. Suddenly was digesting the shocking news: Sherrone Moore had been abruptly fired as Michigan’s head football coach.

The school released a statement saying it had found ‘credible evidence’ Moore engaged in an ‘inappropriate relationship with a staff member.’ Later in the day, Moore was arrested as police investigated an alleged assault.

Ludwig, who planned to enroll at Michigan in January to get an early start, instead requested he be released from his letter of intent and the university has complied, according to Stanton.

Stanton said he thinks Ludwig already had emerged as a leader among Michigan’s signees.

‘Just the bond he had with all those guys was pretty special,’ Stanton said, “and I think he did a good job of helping get some other people there.’

Now it remains unclear who, like Ludwig, will leave that group behind.

Stanton said he visited Ludwig at the family’s home Wednesday and ‘he was just really devastated, shocked, all the emotions with the news that he received. Right now he’s in the stage of processing everything.’

Ludwig’s father, Matt Ludwig Sr., on Dec. 11 told USA TODAY Sports by text message, ‘Currently exploring all options, not ready to release any statements at this time.’

The younger Matt Ludwig did not have his direct messages open on his X account Thursday and could not be reached for comment by USA TODAY Sports.

During the recruiting process, Stanton said, the Ludwigs got to know Moore, who was completing his second year as Michigan head coach.

‘They got to know him really well and they trusted him,’’ Stanton said. “So that’s just hard right now for them to go through this.’

Matt Ludwig was part of a 27-signee recruiting class ranked 11^th by 247 Sports and 12^th by Rivals. The profile photo on Ludwig’s X account shows him wearing a black cowboy hat and flexing his biceps. He is 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds and had a grade point average of 3.87, according to information on his X account.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was hospitalized Dec. 11 for further medical evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the Steelers’ facility Dec. 10, a team spokesman revealed on social media.

The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro won’t practice Thursday and is questionable for the Steelers’ “Monday Night Football” game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 15.

The team said head coach Mike Tomlin will provide more updates when appropriate.

In 2022, Watt’s brother J.J. Watt revealed he suffered atrial fibrillation – an irregular and rapid heartbeat — in the middle of a game week and still played that Sunday. 

Watt has played in all of Pittsburgh’s 13 games this season and has seven sacks. The Steelers, at 7-6, enter Week 14 in first place in the AFC North with a one-game advantage over the Baltimore Ravens. 

Former NBA player Jason Collins has broken his silence about his recent health problems, revealing in an ESPN interview that he is undergoing treatment for Stage 4 glioblastoma and may not have much longer to live.

Collins, the first active male athlete in a major U.S. team sport to come out as gay, said that a statement issued by his family in September that he was battling a brain tumor was ‘intentionally vague’ at the time because ‘I was mentally unable to speak for myself.’

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, Collins said, and without aggressive treatment, ‘I’d probably be dead within six weeks to three months.’

Collins, a 7-foot center, played 13 seasons in the NBA with six different teams from 2001-2014, averaging 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game

In his first-person article published Dec. 11 on ESPN.com, Collins recounts first experiencing ‘weird symptoms’ this past August, having his mental clarity, short-term memory and comprehension disappear.

He says the aggressive form of cancer has spread rapidly: ‘Imagine a monster with tentacles spreading across the underside of my brain the width of a baseball.’

He goes on to describe his treatment with anti-cancer drugs, as well as radiation and chemotherapy at a clinic in Singapore in the hope that doctors can develop a personalized immunotherapy treatment for him.

Collins says the average prognosis for his current treatment is 11-14 months, but he’ll continue to fight.

‘If that’s all the time I have left,’ he says, ‘I’d rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone.’

Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, Jacob Rodriguez and Caleb Downs earn first-team honors and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia headlines the second team in the USA TODAY Sports All-America squads for the 2025 season.

Mendoza lands ahead of Pavia after tossing 33 touchdowns in leading Indiana to the Big Ten championship and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers place another four players on the first and second teams, including safety Louis Moore.

Ohio State’s top-ranked defense has three players on the first team in Downs, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and linebacker Arvell Reese.

Every playoff team but Tulane placed at least one player on the first or second teams. The team was selected with ballots from 25 voters across the USA TODAY Sports Network.

First team

Offense

QB: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza averaged 9.4 yards per attempt and completed 71.5% of his throws in spearheading the greatest season in program history.

RB: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

RB: Ahmad Hardy, Missouri

Love scored at least once in every game but the season opener and averaged 6.9 yards per carry with 18 scores. Hardy’s 1,560 yards topped the Power Four during the regular season.

WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

WR: Makai Lemon, Southern California

TE: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Smith was a little quieter than during his breakout 2024 freshman season but brings 80 receptions and 11 touchdowns into the playoff. Lemon tailed off late but still posted a Big Ten-best 1,156 receiving yards. Stowers was one of the easiest first-team picks after pulling down 62 grabs for 769 yards.

OT: Spencer Fano, Utah

OT: Carter Smith, Indiana

C: Logan Jones, Iowa

OG: Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

OG: Beau Stephens, Iowa

Iowa’s offensive line was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best unit. Pregnon was one of two transfers who helped Oregon rank second in the Big Ten with 30 rushing scores. Smith was the first Indiana player to be named Big Ten lineman of the year. Fano allowed no sacks in nearly 400 drop backs and was even better than expected.

Defense

DE: Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

DE: David Bailey, Texas Tech

DT: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

DT: Landon Robinson, Navy

Howell showed flashes in 2024 but exploded this season with an SEC-best 11½ sacks. Bailey (13½ sacks) was maybe the most transformative transfer of the year. McDonald was one of reason why the Buckeyes have given up just four rushing touchdowns. Robinson (54 tackles, 8½ for loss) was the defensive player of the year in the American.

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

LB: Arvell Reese, Ohio State

LB: CJ Allen, Georgia

Rodriguez (117 tackles) drew Heisman Trophy hype for his dominant play for the Big 12 champions. Reese (62 tackles, 6½ sacks) draws first-team honors over teammate Sonny Styles, who lands on the second team. Allen led Georgia in tackles (85) and was a finalist for the Butkus Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

CB: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

CB: Mansoor Delane, LSU

S: Caleb Downs, Ohio State

S: Louis Moore, Indiana

Leonard Moore had five interceptions as the star of an aggressive and opportunistic Notre Dame secondary. Delane (11 pass breakups) gave up just 13 receptions in coverage all season. Downs is a transformative, box score-stuffing safety who might be the best player in the country. Louis Moore had six interceptions for a defense that gave up just seven touchdowns through the air.

Specialists

K: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma

P: Brett Thorson, Georgia

Returner: Kaden Wetjen, Iowa

All-Purpose: KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

Sandell hit on 23 of 24 attempts, including 7 of 7 from 50 yards and beyond, and notebly came up huge in the Sooners’ biggest wins. Thorson (45.2 yards per punt) was why Georgia had just five punts returned all season. Wetjen had four combined return scores and averaged 28.3 yards per punt return. Concepcion ran for a score, had two punt returns for touchdowns and had 57 grabs for 886 yards and nine touchdowns.

Second team

Offense

QB: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

RB: Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

RB: Kewan Lacy, Mississippi

WR: Skyler Bell, Connecticut

WR: Malachi Toney, Miami

TE: Michael Trigg, Baylor

OT: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)

OT: Kayden Proctor, Alabama

C: Jake Slaughter, Florida

OG: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M

OG: Jaeden Roberts, Alabama

Defense

DE: Reuben Bain, Miami (Fla.)

DE: Colin Simmons, Texas

DT: Peter Woods, Clemson

DT: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

LB: Sonny Styles, Ohio State

LB: Aiden Fisher, Indiana

LB: Anthony Hill, Texas

CB: Hezekiah Masses, California

CB: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

S: Bishop Fitzgerald, Southern California

S: KJ Bolden, Georgia

Specialists

K: Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaii

P: Cole Maynard, Western Kentucky

Returner: Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

All-purpose: Wayne Knight, James Madison

The NASCAR antitrust trial has ended without an official winner. And without an official loser either.

The refusal to settle over the past year led to a showdown in federal court between NASCAR and the plaintiffs: 23XI Racing, co-owned by Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports. But on Thursday, Dec. 11, with the high-stakes trial moving closer to a verdict, the settlement brought the case to an abrupt halt at U.S. District Court of the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte.

The trial was in its ninth day.

Meegan Hollywood, an attorney with Shinder Cantor Lerner law firm who specializes in antitrust cases, told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, Dec. 10 that a settlement would not be a surprise. The alternative was to leave the outcome in the hands of the jury.

‘It’s risky on both sides,’ Hollywood said.

Barak Orbach, a professor at the University of Arizona with an expertise with antitrust law, told USA TODAY Sports “one possibility to consider is that this entire trial (was) part of negotiation strategy.’’

Details from the settlement

One concession NASCAR is making as part of the settlement is “evergreen’’ charters, according to a joint statement from NASCAR, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports that Jeff Gluck of The Athletic posted on X.  Before the antitrust case, the charters – which guarantee teams a spot in the Cup Series races and a portion of NASCAR’s income – were subject to renegotiation.

‘As a condition of the settlement agreement, NASCAR will issue an amendment to existing charter holders detailing the updated terms for signature, which will include a form of ‘evergreen’ charters, subject to mutual agreement,” the joint statement reads.

The financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released, according to a joint statement.

What Michael Jordan said

On the steps outside the courthouse, Jordan stood next to NASCAR CEO Jim France and addressed the media.

“We’re like two competitors obviously,’’ he said. “…The only way this sport’s going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities, and I think we’ve gotten to that point.’’

Said France, “I feel like we made a very good decision here.’’

A reporter asked Jordan what was the impetus that led to the settlement today and not earlier?

“Level heads,’’ Jordan said, drawing laughter from reporters. “In all honestly, when you get to the finish line, sometimes you have to think not for yourself but think about the sport as a whole. And I think both parties got to that point and we realized we can have an opportunity to settle this and we dove and we actually did it.’’

Jordan also released an official statement after the settlement was agreed to.

‘From the beginning, this lawsuit was about progress,’ Jordan’s statement began. ‘It was about making sure our sport evolves in a way that supports everyone: teams, drivers, partners, employees, and fans. With a foundation to build equity and invest in the future and a stronger voice in the decisions ahead, we now have the chance to grow together and make the sport even better for generations to come. I’m excited to watch our teams get back on the track and compete hard in 2026.’

What NASCAR CEO Jim France said

Jim France, NASCAR CEO and chairman, had testified for two days on Tuesday Dec. 9 and Wednesday, Dec. 10 after being called as a witness by the plaintiffs before the parties reached a settlement.

‘This outcome gives all parties the flexibility and confidence to continue delivering unforgettable racing moments for our fans, which has always been our highest priority since the sport was founded in 1948,’ France said in a statment. ‘We worked closely with race teams to create the NASCAR charter system in 2016, and it has proven invaluable to their operations and to the quality of racing across the Cup Series. Today’s agreement reaffirms our commitment to preserving and enhancing that value, ensuring our fans continue to enjoy the very best of stock car rcing for generations to come. We are excitd to return the collective focus of our sport, teams and racetracks toward and incredible 78th seaosn that begins with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.’

France, 81, is the son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and brother of former CEO Bill France Jr. The largest motorsports series in the United States, NASCAR remains privately owned by the France family.

Denny Hamlin remarks

On his X account (formerly Twitter), Hamlin wrote, “Standing up isn’t easy, but progress never comes from staying silent. The reward is in knowing you changed something.’

The X account of the Loose Is Fast Podcast responded with photo of Hamlin after winning a race and the words, “I beat your favorite lawyer,’ an inside joke among NASCAR fans.

Hamlin, a three-time champion of the Daytona 500, has won 60 career races in the NASCAR Cup Series (tied for 10th all time) and has become notorious for taunting fans by saying, “I beat your favorite driver.’

What was the NASCAR antitrust lawsuit about?

The lawsuit accuses NASCAR of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, preventing teams from competing ‘without accepting the anticompetitive terms’ it dictates. Filed in 2024, the lawsuit also asserts the ‘France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies.’

Jordan has not entered this battle alone. Denny Hamlin, a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, and longtime Jordan business adviser Curtis Polk are co-owners of 23XI Racing, which just completed its fifth season on NASCAR’s Cup Series. Front Row Motorsports, another NASCAR team, is a plaintiff.

The case centers on multimillion-dollar charter agreements, which guarantee teams spots in every race of the Cup Series – the major league of NASCAR – and entitles them to a share of NASCAR’s revenue from sponsorship and media deals.

In 2024, NASCAR offered teams a seven-year charter agreement that would increase media revenue and also increase the annual cost of charters to $8.5 million from $5 million.

While there were reported rumblings among NASCAR racing teams that had existing charters, only Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign the new contracts.

Take it or leave it is how the antitrust lawsuit characterized NASCAR’s deal.

What is a NASCAR charter?

NASCAR instituted the charter system in 2016 after an agreement with the Race Team Alliance, a collection of all the individual race teams in the Cup Series. Charters were designed to provide teams with an increased business certainty and long-term stability.

According to NASCAR, the agreement led to 36 charter teams with these key points:

• A charter guarantees entry (and therefore, a portion of the purse) into the field of every NASCAR Cup Series points race.
• Teams may sell their charters on the open market.
• Charter owners may transfer their charter to another team, for one full season, once over the first five years of the agreement.
• Charter teams are held to a minimum performance standard. If a charter team finishes in the bottom three of the owner standings among all 36 charter teams for three consecutive years, NASCAR has a right to remove the charter.
• Organizations now have a hard cap of four cars; there no longer is the ability to run a fifth car for rookie drivers.
• NASCAR Cup Series fields consist of 40 cars — a change made, from 43 cars previously, when the charter system was initially announced. That means 36 charter teams are guaranteed to make every points race, and four non-charter (or “open”) teams will complete the rest of the field.

NASCAR minimizes potential damage

By reaching a settlement, NASCAR eliminated the possibility of more than $1 billion in monetary damages.

Edward Snyder, a professor of economics who worked in the antitrust division of the Department of Justice, testified that NASCAR owed 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports a combined $364.7 million in damages, according to the Associated Press. A verdict against NASCAR would have led those damages to be trebled to more than $1 billion, excluding legal fees.

Orbach, the professor from Arizona, said injunctive relief imposed by the judge would have been an even bigger problem with NASCAR.

“Once you have the injunction NASCAR cannot continue operating as it has been operating,’’ Orbach said. “So even without (monetary) damages, the injunctions themselves (would) likely to require NASCAR to transform its operations.’’

Although both sides disclosed there will be changes with charter agreements, NASCAR no longer is subject to the judge’s orders.

Denny Hamlin, partners celebrate after settlement

When is the next NASCAR race?

NASCAR is currently in its offseason after Kyle Larson won the 2025 Cup Series championship in early November, outdueling Hamlin in an overtime finish.

Drivers and teams are enjoying a winter break before returning to action in February when they will hit the track Feb. 1 for the exhibition Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

From there it’s on to Daytona Beach, Florida, as prepartions begin for the 68th annual Daytona 500. Daytona Speedweeks begin the week of Feb. 9, beginning with Daytona 500 pole qualifying on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The Duel at Daytona will take place Thursday, Dec. 12, followed by the 2026 Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15.

∎ Click here to view the the full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist suffered major injuries during downhill ski training in Switzerland on Thursday, Dec. 11.

Michelle Gisin a Swiss World Cup alpine racer, was transported by medical helicopter to a hospital in Zurich after crashing into a fence, according to Reuters.

It was not immedately known what caused the wreck which came before the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics set to take place in February.

The 32-year-old woman, who took home gold medals during the past two Winter Games, was reportedly conscious before being airlifted, the outlet as well as The Associated Press reported.

According to Swiss Ski, per Reuters, Gisen was set to undergo surgery after she suffered injurires to her neck, wrist and knee.

This is a developing story.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund

Zach Edey’s encouraging second NBA season is being put on pause right when he and the Memphis Grizzlies were starting to find a groove.

The Grizzlies announced Edey will miss a significant amount of action after being diagnosed with a left ankle injury. He had already sat out the first 13 games of the 2025-26 NBA season while recovering from offseason surgery on the same ankle. But his return to the lineup had coincided with an uptick in the Grizzlies’ performance.

Memphis enters its game against the Utah Jazz on Friday, Dec. 12 having won five of its past six outings, and Edey had emerged as a double-double threat with huge defensive upside. Grizzlies star Ja Morant is also closing in on a return to action after missing the past 10 games with a calf strain, according to coach Tuomas Iisalo.

Morant’s injury occurred less than six minutes into Edey’s return game, and the two will now have to wait even longer to play more together this season.

Here’s the latest update on Edey’s injury situation:

Zach Edey injury update

‘This is a management plan to optimize Zach’s long-term health in consultation with the Grizzlies and medical experts,’ Edey’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN. ‘Following this step, the short- and long-term prognosis for Zach is excellent.’

Edey would miss at least 15 games, beginning with Friday’s matchup against the Utah Jazz, given the Grizzlies’ announced injury timeline.

Zach Edey stats

Edey is averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over 11 games this season.